Well, I have to admit that this is all pretty cool. It’s like we threw a party and have to keep running out to get more ice. I mean, every time we get together I see so many new faces that I know we are succeeding in our quest to foster growth within the casual games industry. And who’s surprised? There is so much happening in casual games these days that you would be crazy not to want to get in on the action.
For starters, there are a lot of people making money. They’re making it in a variety of interesting ways and in a variety of interesting ways and in a variety of interesting places (as you’ll discover if you read this issue of Casual Connect Magazine). You almost get the sense that every time we hold another money-making opportunity (which, by the way, is one of the reasons we hold conferences).
And then there’s this: Suddenly (or maybe not so suddenly) there are a lot of big-name companies jumping into the casual games fray: EA, Ubisoft, Eidos, Vivendi, THQ, and Activision have all announced casual games initiatives in recent months. MTV recently spent $600 million (that’s six followed by a bunch of zeroes) to acquire gaming assets. Even Google, the Internet’s 800-pound gorilla, has gotten into the act. Jast like that, casual games have been officially designated Big Business – which means that investors are watching us like never before.
All of this growth and activity should be a reminder to those of us who have been here a while that nothing stays the same – nor should it. With the addition of so many newcomers of various shapes and sizes, we once again have the opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been and try to take a fresh look at where we’re headed. Maybe we can take the experiences of the industry veterans, cram them together with the unique perspective of our newest members, and crate something altogether new and different. It’s by mixing the familiar with the unfamiliar that we’ll start to generate really good new ideas. It’s also how we’ll begin to find ways to appeal to an even broader constituency – including those with a more traditional, casual gaming profile.
And if we do all that, it should mean continued success and prosperity throughout our industry. After all, we still have our great, unassailable, take-it-to-the-bank-with-a-smile competitive advantage: our knowledge that, if you focus on the fun, many people will pay you and love you for your efforts.
So welcome, newcomers! Come on in and have a seat at the table.
We’ve been expecting you!
